White Sox sign Martin Maldonado 1 year/4 million, vesting option for 2025

[bmags]

Korey Lee still has plenty to show in AAA. He was such a classic Hahn trade, getting googley eyed because he used to have a high ranking on a prospect handbook. That the Astros gave him away should be all you needed to know.

 

I thought there would be more of a celebration to shut the book on the Salvador Perez talk. 

[JoshPR]

This would have been good......

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 years ago....

[caulfield12]

10 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

It’s basically $5 million total for two veteran catchers. It’s fine 

We hear this nearly every season in filling out the roster, well, “it’s only this much after all”…somehow it always adds up, yet the results get worse by the year.

We don’t even have the catching depth to trust even ONE rookie to play half the time in a completely meaningless season in terms of competing.

So we’re simply going to half-ass it yet again.

[Harold's Leg Lift]

13 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

It’s basically $5 million total for two veteran catchers. It’s fine 

Right and they're both worlds better defensively than what they've been running out there the last 4 years.  They're both going to tremendously help the young pitchers.  

[T R U]

What I hate about this is that this organization continually goes down the path of a handful of guys that aren't even good instead of going for one guy that is good.

Between Stassi, Maldonado, DeJong, and Lopez you're looking at approx. $10 million spend. There is better ways to allocate that money.

[T R U]

1 minute ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

Right and they're both worlds better defensively than what they've been running out there the last 4 years.  They're both going to tremendously help the young pitchers.  

Max Stassi hasn't played since 2022 and Maldonado isn't good defensively anymore. That's the problem.

[Chicago White Sox]

26 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

It’s basically $5 million total for two veteran catchers. It’s fine 

So Cease to Atlanta is basically happening then?

[Chicago White Sox]

18 minutes ago, bmags said:

Korey Lee still has plenty to show in AAA. He was such a classic Hahn trade, getting googley eyed because he used to have a high ranking on a prospect handbook. That the Astros gave him away should be all you needed to know.

 

I thought there would be more of a celebration to shut the book on the Salvador Perez talk. 

To be fair, we acquired him for Kendall Graveman and at the time our near term catching situation was atrocious.  I think it was a perfectly fine move all things considered even if we don’t hand him a major league role next year.

[Dick Allen]

13 minutes ago, T R U said:

Max Stassi hasn't played since 2022 and Maldonado isn't good defensively anymore. That's the problem.

Fangraphs has Seby better defensively than Maldanado each of the past 2 seasons, and he got DFA'd.

[Bob Sacamano]

1 minute ago, Dick Allen said:

Fangraphs has Seby better defensively than Maldanado each of the past 2 seasons, and he got DFA'd.

And then eventually claimed and traded for Eugenio Suarez.

[South Side Hit Men]

I’ll have to see what the terms of “vesting option” means before caring.

Wonder if they will DFA Perez or Stassi to clear roster space, or whether they dump a pitcher and clear a catcher during spring training once they can evaluate all four for a month (assuming all four physically survive ST).

[Y2Jimmy0]

27 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

We hear this nearly every season in filling out the roster, well, “it’s only this much after all”…somehow it always adds up, yet the results get worse by the year.

We don’t even have the catching depth to trust even ONE rookie to play half the time in a completely meaningless season in terms of competing.

So we’re simply going to half-ass it yet again.

They’re trying to develop young pitching with veteran leaders and game callers. 

14 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

So Cease to Atlanta is basically happening then?

No idea. I’d be pretty surprised unless Hurston Waldrep is involved and he hasn’t been on the table to this point. 

[Harold's Leg Lift]

2 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

No idea. I’d be pretty surprised unless Hurston Waldrep is involved and he hasn’t been on the table to this point. 

I'm starting to think it doesn't happen at all.  They really needed an aggressive Dodgers team to push the market.  

[Chicago White Sox]

6 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

I’ll have to see what the terms of “vesting option” means before caring.

Wonder if they will DFA Perez or Stassi to clear roster space, or whether they dump a pitcher and clear a catcher during spring training once they can evaluate all four for a month (assuming all four physically survive ST).

They should be DFAing Zach Remillard.  He serves zero purpose on this roster with the additions of DeJong, Lopez, & Shewmake.

[Timmy U]

2 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

No idea. I’d be pretty surprised unless Hurston Waldrep is involved and he hasn’t been on the table to this point. 

Yet another player the Sox could have drafted instead of Gonzalez that they would love to have in trade. Shanking the best draft in the last 10 years is going to haunt them for a while.

[Chicago White Sox]

4 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

They’re trying to develop young pitching with veteran leaders and game callers. 

No idea. I’d be pretty surprised unless Hurston Waldrep is involved and he hasn’t been on the table to this point. 

So AJSS would be on the table but not Waldrep?

[ChiSox59]

20 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

So Cease to Atlanta is basically happening then?

I don't understand how these things are tied together.  

[ChiSox59]

13 minutes ago, South Side Hit Men said:

I’ll have to see what the terms of “vesting option” means before caring.

Wonder if they will DFA Perez or Stassi to clear roster space, or whether they dump a pitcher and clear a catcher during spring training once they can evaluate all four for a month (assuming all four physically survive ST).

I think the Sox have made it pretty obvious that Carlos Perez isn't a long term option.  

[Y2Jimmy0]

5 minutes ago, Harold's Leg Lift said:

I'm starting to think it doesn't happen at all.  They really needed an aggressive Dodgers team to push the market.  

I think he moves because taking him into the season isn’t worth the risk. 

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

So AJSS would be on the table but not Waldrep?

That’s my assumption. I think Sox want both. 

[Chicago White Sox]

1 minute ago, ChiSox59 said:

I don't understand how these things are tied together.  

Because where are all these young pitchers that we need two veteran SPs to handle?  I think it’s very clear that this focus on defense is to help a young pitching staff, but right now it’s not like the projected Opening Day roster is overflowing with a bunch of promising young arms.  That tells me that when Cease goes out, near major league ready pitching is coming back.  Obviously this is all me speculating, but it’s the only way the broader set of moves make any sense.  

[Bob Sacamano]

3 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Because where are all these young pitchers that we need two veteran SPs to handle?  I think it’s very clear that this focus on defense is to help a young pitching staff, but right now it’s not like the projected Opening Day roster is overflowing with a bunch of promising young arms.  That tells me that when Cease goes out, near major league ready pitching is coming back.  Obviously this is all me speculating, but it’s the only way the broader set of moves make any sense.  

The short-term/youngish guys currently here: Soroka, Kopech, Touki, relievers, etc. Can still help them. He’s only here for a year (along with Stassi) if that.

Edited December 27, 2023 by Bob Sacamano

[Tony]

32 minutes ago, T R U said:

What I hate about this is that this organization continually goes down the path of a handful of guys that aren't even good instead of going for one guy that is good.

Between Stassi, Maldonado, DeJong, and Lopez you're looking at approx. $10 million spend. There is better ways to allocate that money.

On what? Say they spent that on one player. Who is it going to? And what difference is that player going to make over the next 2-3 years? Are they the difference between 72 and 75 wins? For what? This team is SO far away, I just can’t get too upset over a move like this.
 

It's clear what Getz is trying to do this offseason. Flush out the clubhouse, change the culture and in the case of MM, provide a veteran catcher that can be an anchor for a pitching staff, specifically one without a ton of ML experience. Is it a move that will win them more games in 2024? Good chance he has a negative WAR, but I believe there will positives that he provides internally. At least that’s the hope. And given there is literally zero chance this team competes this year, or probably next year, I don’t think it’s a terrible strategy from Getz 

[Harold's Leg Lift]

4 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

I think he moves because taking him into the season isn’t worth the risk.  

They're not going to take a short deal just to move him and I don't see any of these teams stepping up to pay the price.  

[Dick Allen]

I think one or the other would have been fine, although they are paying some for reputation and not performance with Maldonado. I think both is overkill. Might as well let Korey Lee be the back up and maybe learn from one of them.

[TheBooneLoganEra]

46 minutes ago, T R U said:

Would rather see what we have in house and if those guys can play. What good does Maldanado do for this team hitting .190 with no defense?

Korey Lee can do that for almost 4 million less.

I don't think Lee is capable of .150 let alone .190. 

Everyone here has been complaining about the culture of this team and by all appearances, Maldonado and several other new additions will be great changing the culture moving forward. There seems to be very specific attention being paid to the character and preparation of these incoming players and I'm interested to see how it goes. Look at Maldonado as a player/coach.